Sheldon Silver Trial Begins

Jury selection has started in the corruption trial of a former New York Assembly speaker charged with accepting nearly $4 million in payoffs and kickbacks.

Federal Judge Valerie Caproni was questioning several dozen prospective jurors one-by-one Monday to identify biases that could contaminate the trial of Sheldon Silver.

Opening statements were likely Tuesday. The 71-year-old Manhattan Democrat was arrested in January. He is free on bail.

In court Monday, Silver wore a dark suit with pinstripes. He says he will be vindicated at trial. His lawyers say federal prosecutors are unfairly going after him for practices that have long been sanctioned in Albany.

Silver stepped down from his speaker post after his arrest but retained his Assembly seat. Charges he faces carry a potential penalty of 130 years in prison.